Michigan State Basketball: Report card for home-opening win over Binghamton

Bench

What we didn’t see against Kentucky was the Spartans’ deep bench making a difference. We witnessed just that on Sunday night against Binghamton. Eleven guys came off the bench and each one had a positive impact. Sure, a few were walk-ons who will never see the floor in important games, but each scholarship player flashed potential. This team may be 10-11 deep regularly.

Gabe Brown: B

Gabe Brown came off the bench and played 13 minutes. He looked solid, but didn’t exactly stuff the stat sheet Aaron Henry-style. He scored seven points and made 3-of-4 shots. Moreover, he didn’t attempt a 3-pointer, showing that he’s expanded his game.

Kyle Ahrens: B+

Consistency is Kyle Ahrens’ middle name and as long as he continues to strengthen that ankle, he’s going to get even better. He’s a leader off the bench and scored four points with four rebounds. He didn’t shoot the ball exceptionally, going just 2-for-5, but he was active defensively and provided a spark.

Malik Hall: B-

We didn’t see much from Malik Hall again in this one, but give him time and he’s going to be a fan favorite. He played 13 minutes, didn’t score and had three rebounds with two assists.

Marcus Bingham Jr.: A-

I continue to be impressed with Marcus Bingham Jr. The sophomore big man is expanding his game, no longer relying on the deep ball. He scored a career-high 13 points with six rebounds and he was 5-for-9 from the field and 0-for-2 from 3-point range. He showed improvement on the defensive end, blocking three shots. We are seeing what this kid can do — finally.

Foster Loyer: B-

Outside of some nifty passes, Foster Loyer had a pedestrian performance. He played solid defense and even drew a big charge, but he’s going to need to pick it up on the offensive end if Michigan State wants to make a run. He was 0-for-3 from the field and had two assists, including a beautiful alley-oop to Julius Marble.

Julius Marble: B

We didn’t see much of Julius Marble who played just six minutes off the bench. He did, however, wow the crowd with an impressive alley-oop and a nice back-down and score in the post. If he can bring this to every game, he’ll be a surprise contributor with 5-10 minutes per game.

Conner George: B+

Though he didn’t see the court for long (just four minute), Conner George looked great. He was aggressive, grabbed four rebounds and scored three points. He won’t see a ton of action this season, but he’s one of the better walk-ons Tom Izzo has had.